Extra Basket-Chapter 140 - 127: Loan Shark (3)

August 6, 2010

The heat of the morning sun filtered through the dusty windows of the gym, casting long shadows as the team huddled near the whiteboard. Sweat dripped from their foreheads, not from drills but from pressure. The air was thick, not with tension, but anticipation.

Ethan stood with arms crossed, eyes scanning his teammates one by one. His voice was calm, but steady with urgency.

"So you said 4 p.m. we’re going there? The Old Town Arena?"

Evan nodded.

"Yeah. That’s where they said the match would be. They booked it out... probably expecting no one would dare show up."

Ethan’s eyes narrowed.

"Blazing Fox..."

He didn’t say anything more aloud, but his thoughts churned.

"(Now I know about this Blazing Fox... these guys got dominated by the Gods Team. That was the arc where they introduced the Gods. I think... that part’s not supposed to happen today.)"

"(So if we fight the Blazing Fox now — before the Gods arrive — maybe we’re just... filling a gap. Maybe it won’t change anything. Maybe it’ll still happen exactly as written.)"

"(But still... their loss to the Gods was a devastating one — a statement. If we beat Blazing Fox today, it won’t be as clean or brutal as what the Gods did. But... it’ll mean something to us.)"

Ethan looked up again, meeting Lucas’s eyes — and then Ayumi’s, Evan’s, Josh’s, Aiden’s, Brandon’s, and Ryan’s.

As Ethan remained silent, lost in his thoughts, the rest of the team started murmuring among themselves, voices filled with both concern and resolve.

Lucas leaned forward, elbows on his knees.

"Ethan, what strategy would we use to defeat them? It’s still 8 a.m. today, so we have time."

Josh crossed his arms, nodding.

"We can’t just rely on raw effort. Their squad is built like a machine — if we rush in headfirst, they’ll tear us apart."

Aiden scratched his chin, pacing a little.

"We need to isolate their weakest link. Every great team has one, even if it’s buried deep. Find it, and break their rhythm."

Brandon leaned against the wall, arms folded.

"If that Jace guy is as deadly as Evan says, we might need someone to shadow him the entire game. Deny him space — deny him rhythm."

Ryan chimed in with a shrug,

"What about their center? Leonel Blaze. Dude’s a skyscraper with court vision. If we let him control the pace, we’re toast."

Ayumi looked between them, serious.

"We don’t have the raw strength, but we can outsmart them. If we study how they rotate and time our counters, we can create cracks."

Evan added, adjusting his glasses,

"I’ve got some footage of their last scrimmage. We can analyze their defensive gaps and see how their playmaker reacts under pressure. Give me a few minutes, I’ll pull it up."

Lucas turned to Ethan again, voice steadier this time.

"We’ve got heart, Ethan. We just need direction. You’re the only one we are counting on... so tell us. What’s the plan?"

...

Ethan sat up straight, his eyes sharpening with determination.

"Give me the footage. I want to know how good they really are."

Evan quickly pulled out his tablet and began tapping.

"Alright, here. This is from their last practice match. Watch how they move during the second quarter—"

As the clip played, Ethan leaned forward, eyes tracking every motion on the screen — their screens, off-ball movement, defensive rotations, even their body language.

Ayumi tilted her head, watching Ethan.

"Wait... just by analyzing some footage, you can counter them?"

Ethan didn’t take his eyes off the screen. After a few more seconds, he paused the video and pointed to a moment in the play.

"Right there. Their center, Leonel, is reading the court and making decisions faster than most point guards. But watch the weak side — the corner defender always cheats inside when he thinks help is coming. That’s a gap."

He continued, voice steady, precise.

"Jace, their shooter, relies on rhythm — he only gets hot when the first two shots drop. Deny him those, and he gets hesitant. His confidence is everything. We’ll switch a quick, aggressive defender on him in the first quarter to shake him up early."

The team leaned in, drawn to his voice.

"Their ball screens are tight — too tight. If we bait the handler into over-committing, we can trap and force a bad pass. Once we rattle the point guard, their entire flow stutters. From there, we switch tempo constantly — fast breaks one quarter, slowed sets the next. Keep them off balance."

He turned to Lucas.

"Lucas, you’ll mirror Leonel off the ball. Don’t challenge him head-on — frustrate him with timing. Ayumi, cover passing angles like you’re reading his mind. We need pressure without fouls."

There was a long pause.

Then—

"As expected of you, Ethan... you’re a genius!" Ryan said, eyes wide.

"That’s wild..." Ryan muttered. "It’s like you’ve already played them before."

Evan grinned.

"You just tore them apart with words alone. Damn."

Brandon added with a slow nod,

"If we follow this plan, we might actually take them down."

Ayumi stared at Ethan, genuinely shocked. Her voice was a whisper.

"They’re all... listening to him like his words are the truth. Like it’s the only thing that matters..."

Ethan stood slowly, his voice calm but firm.

"We don’t beat them with strength. We beat them with precision. With trust. Trust in the plan. Trust in each other."

Everyone nodded.

At that moment, it wasn’t just about surviving a game or paying a debt.

It was about proving something — to the world, to themselves.

And they had their leader.

With the plan laid out and their path ahead clearer than ever, the team didn’t waste time. The gym floor buzzed with sneakers, the echo of bouncing balls, and shouts of timing drills.

But this time... it felt different.

There was purpose.

Ethan stood at the sideline with his arms crossed, watching as the team executed a full-court press drill. Lucas and Evan worked together seamlessly, switching on screens like they’d done it for years.

"Again!" Evan shouted, tossing the ball back.

Lucas smiled as he ran back to position.

"You really turned into a coach overnight, huh?"

Evan smirked. "I just don’t want you to slack off, starboy."

Josh was practicing catch-and-shoot drills in the corner. Ayumi tossed him a pass without looking —

Swish.

Josh raised an eyebrow.

"Nice pass."

Ayumi gave a casual shrug.

"I have to keep up. Genius says I’m reading minds today."

Ayumi glanced at Ethan, who had knelt by the whiteboard, updating new counter-plays. He looked up briefly and gave her a rare thumbs-up.

She blinked.

"...He actually complimented me?"

Ryan and Brandon were doing rebounding contests under the hoop, shoulder-checking each other while laughing.

"Three out of five!" Ryan shouted, grabbing a board.

"Hey, that’s my win!"

"Not if I block your shot after!" Brandon grinned, lightly tapping the ball away.

In the far corner, Kai was stretching out, watching the team dynamic unfold with a thoughtful expression.

"Team such a nice word..." he muttered.

Coonie jogged over and nudged him with an elbow.

"Yeah. Also We’re not just teammates now. We’re soldiers in the same battle."

Kai nodded slowly, a rare smile tugging at the edge of his lips.

As the team ran transition drills, energy high and movement sharp—

"What’s up, boys!!"

A loud, arrogant voice boomed from the gym entrance.

Everyone froze mid-motion.

Sneakers skidded. The ball bounced once, then rolled to a stop.

They turned toward the doors.

They’re stood Brick — smug as ever, arms wide like he owned the place — with six new faces flanking him. Muscles, tattoos, chains, and crooked smirks. His "goons" looked more like street brawlers than basketball players.

Lucas’s eyes narrowed.

"Why are you here again!!"

Brick stepped forward, chuckling.

"Didn’t I tell you clowns we’d be back?" He threw his arm back, gesturing to the new crew.

"Meet my comrades. You think last time was bad? You’re paying up Jeremy’s debt, or you’re all getting beat into pulp today."

The gym fell quiet.

The tension in the air turned ice cold.

Ethan didn’t move. He simply stared. Analyzing.

Coonie clenched his fists.

"These guys again? On game day?"

Ryan stepped up beside him.

"They’ve got no shame."

Aiden clicked his tongue, annoyed.

"We don’t have time for this crap."

But Ayumi... her eyes were locked on one person.

Lucas.

Her childhood friend stood still, silent... but his shoulders were stiff, his jaw clenched.

She knew that look.

That guilt. That pressure.

"...Lucas," she said softly.

He didn’t look at her.

Not yet.

Brick walked closer, stopping just short of the center court line.

"What’s the matter? Y’all got quiet real fast. You hiding behind this girl now too?"

Ayumi stepped forward, voice firm.

"You’re trespassing. Leave."

Brick sneered.

"Aww, still trying to act like the boss? C’mon, cutie-chan. Jeremy’s debt is your debt."

Lucas finally stepped forward.

His voice was quiet.

But sharp.

"You think we’re scared of you?"

Brick blinked. Caught off guard by the shift in tone.

Lucas turned to glance at his teammates, then at Ayumi.

She saw it — the fire in his eyes.

That spark of the real Lucas.

The one who didn’t run.

The one who stood up.

Lucas clenched his fists.

"If you touch them—"

But before he could finish, another voice cut through like a blade.

Ethan stepped forward. Calm. Unshaken.

"Don’t worry."

He met Brick’s eyes.

"We’ll pay you. Tomorrow."

Brick tilted his head.

"Tomorrow?" He raised a brow, his tone mocking.

Ethan nodded.

"We’ll have the money tomorrow."

"And if you don’t?" Brick asked, stepping closer now, the threat obvious in his voice.

"What if you break the promise?"

Ethan didn’t flinch.

His answer was clear.

Sharp.

"Then do whatever you want with me."

The gym fell silent.

Everyone just stood there watching and Lucas...

Lucas’s eyes widened.

"Ethan!!!" he shouted, stepping forward.

"Don’t say that like it’s nothing!"

But Ethan just looked ahead.

"I’m not letting anyone else take the fall."

His voice didn’t waver.

"This isn’t just Jeremy’s debt anymore. It’s ours."

"You’re not alone, idiot," Lucas snapped.

"We’re a team. You don’t get to offer yourself up like that."

Ayumi stared at Ethan stunned.

He didn’t talk like a hero. He didn’t say it for show.

He meant every word.

Brick smirked.

"Heh. You’re either brave or stupid."

He pointed a thick finger at Ethan.

"Tomorrow. If I don’t see ten grand... I’ll be collecting."

He turned without waiting for a reply, his goons following.

The door slammed shut behind them.

Silence. Then—

Lucas grabbed Ethan by the collar.

Not hard. But enough to shake him.

"What the hell was that, Ethan? You’re not some pawn we can just sacrifice."

Ethan didn’t back down.

"I’m not sacrificing anything. I’m betting on us."

He looked around at everyone.

At Ayumi.

At Lucas.

"We win today. We get the prize. And we pay off the debt. That’s the plan."

Everyone looked at him and there was something magnetic in his eyes.

Determination.

Conviction.

Belief.

Ayumi whispered, barely audible—

"...You’re serious."

And no one questioned it.

They believed.

To be continue